The role played by grandparents in our society has changed over the last couple of generations.
Those of us who are Baby Boomers probably remember grandparents who took very little interest in us.
Today grandparents become the ‘go-to’ solution for childcare, holiday care for grandkids (and helping with the grandkids school fees!)
Is this a good thing?
A very good thing!
The newspapers these days are filled with stories about how to age well—how to remain healthy, avoid dementia and all that fairly important stuff.
Now it turns out that grandparenting is one of the best solutions for aging well.
So much so that it’s been given a name— ‘grandtherapy.’
In other words, being ‘working grandparents’ heavily involved in the lives of the little ones is one of the best therapies we can have.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph Gary Martin said this: ‘Grandtherapy is the physical, mental and emotional lift older people can gain from being actively involved in the lives of their grandchildren.’
It turns out that a 2026 study published in the American Psychological Association’s journal Psychology and Aging examined almost 2,900 grandparents.
Those who looked after grandchildren performed better on tests of memory and rapid word recall than those who did not provide care.
So, every time you lower your aging frame down onto the carpet to play with Lego, and every time you read a book to the small fry, you are doing yourself some good.
Plus—the benefit is two-way.
I read a quote some months ago (and now I can’t find where it was, so I can’t give you the source) which said that ‘having loving grandparents provides a foundation for life.’
Those wonderful little kids benefit too.
Clearly the more loved little kids feel, the more secure their foundation for life.
So, it’s good for them—and it’s good for us.
As Gary Martin says, ‘The secret of aging well might be as simple as a small hand reaching up for Nan or Pop.’
Tonight I will join Peta Credlin for 'Words Matter' on News24.
My latest column (about the insidious "digital duty of care" bill") is now up on the News24 website. Here's the link: Kel Richards
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BOOKS:
* My latest book is called Pray Like This. To look at prayer I do what I do in these Ozword columns: I go through the most famous prayer in the world (The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father) and unpack it word by word—each chapter being a short word-study on a key word in that prayer. There is a total of 21 words studies in all. To find out more, here’s a link to the publisher’s website (where you can buy a copy if you wish): Pray Like This – matthiasmedia.com.au
* My book is Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries -- containing 50 new stories I have written about the great detective. You can find it on Amazon. Just go to Amazon and type in Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries in the search panel. Or use this link: h Amazon.com.au : Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries Kel Richards
* My book "Defending the Gospel" is now in a second, fully revised, edition. You can find it here: Defending the Gospel – matthiasmedia.com.au
* If you're looking for my recent book "Flash Jim" you'll find it here -- Flash Jim, The astonis
hing story of the convict fraudster who wrote Australia's first dictionary by Kel Richards | 9781460759769 | Booktopia
* You can find all Kel's books currently in print here -- Booktopia Search Results for 'kel richards'. We sell books, hardback, paperback, audio, CDs.
* And also here -- Amazon.com.au : Kel Richards
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* Many of Kel's out of print books can be found at ABE Books -- Kel Richards - AbeBooks explaining words explain the term
BY THE WAY...
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
The liveliest part of this website is usually the Q and A page -- be sure to check it out from time to time.
